Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew

Close-up of Guinness beef stew showing chunks of beef and vegetables in thick stout-based gravy

Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew

Slow cooker Guinness beef stew with tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a dark, rich broth that handles dinner without needing a 27 page Power Point presentation.

Course Main Dish - Beef

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 20

Servings

Calories 394kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat or lamb stew meat if desired
1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
2 tablespoons oil for browning the beef
2 large onions peeled and cut in eights
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 2-inch chunks
5 carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 stalks celery minced
4 cloves garlic minced
4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Beef flavor
12 ounces Guinness Extra Stout
¼ cup tomato paste
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat a cast-iron skillet over high heat.
Season the beef with ½ teaspoon of the salt and all of the black pepper.
Add the oil to the hot skillet. When it shimmers, add the beef in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Brown deeply on all sides, about 4–6 minutes per batch. Don’t rush this—color equals flavor.
Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
Add the quartered onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, beef broth, Better Than Bouillon, Guinness, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, tomato paste, thyme, and sugar to the beef.
Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours, until the beef is tender.
Melt the butter and whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste.
Stir it into the stew.
Cover and cook for 1 more hour, or until the stew thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
Remove thyme stems before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

Storage:

This stew keeps well, which is good news since it’s even better the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and plan to enjoy them within a few days.

It freezes without drama, too. Cool it completely, portion it out, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Tips:

Brown the beef properly:This is where flavor starts. If someone tells you they don’t brown the beef and it’s “just as good,” they are lying.
Give it enough time: Tough cuts don’t respond to encouragement. Low and slow until the beef is tender, not when the clock says so.
Season at the end: Long cooking dulls salt. Taste and adjust right before serving so it eats like stew, not effort.

Nutrition